Coreopsis plant named ‘Blushing Pink’

ABSTRACT

A new cultivar of hybrid Coreopsis named ‘Blushing Pink’ that is characterized by its sturdy, well-branched plant habit reaching an average of 36 cm in height and 96 cm in width, its floriferous and long blooming season of sterile inflorescences that do not require deadheading; bloom commences in early July and lasts until frost in Kensington, Conn., its medium sized inflorescences that open a darker rose-pink in color and over several days turn to a pale pink in color, its resistance to powdery mildew (Podosphaera macularis) and leafspot (Pseudomonas cichorii) and its cold hardiness at least to U.S.D.A. Zone 5a.

Botanical Classification: Coreopsis hybrid.

Variety denomination: ‘Blushing Pink’.

CROSS REFERENCE TO A RELATED APPLICATION

This application is related to U.S. Plant Patent for a plant derived from the same breeding program that is entitled Coreopsis Plant Named ‘Red Satin’ (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 25,736).

STATEMENT REGARDING PRIOR DISCLOSURES BY THE INVENTOR

The Applicant asserts that no publications or advertisements relating to sales, offers for sale, or public distribution occurred more than one year prior to the effective filing date of this application. Any information about the claimed plant would have been obtained from a direct or indirect disclosure from the Inventor. The Applicant claims a prior art exemption under 35 U.S.C. 102(b)(1) for disclosure and/or sales prior to the filing date but less than one year prior to the effective filing date. Publications include but are not limited to a listing on Estabrooksonline.com.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Coreopsis plant, botanically of hybrid origin and known as Coreopsis ‘Blushing Pink’ and will be referred to hereinafter by its cultivar name, ‘Blushing Pink’. The new cultivar of Coreopsis is an herbaceous perennial grown for landscape and container use.

The new Invention arose from an ongoing controlled breeding program in New Braintree, Mass. The objective of the breeding program is to develop hybrid cultivars of Coreopsis with unique and superior garden attributes. In particular, to develop cultivars that are long-lived, sturdy, exhibit a true perennial habit and cold hardy to at least U.S.D.A. Zone 5 in a wide range of flower colors and plant forms that do not require vernalization to intiate flowering.

The Inventor made a controlled cross in August of 2013 in New Braintree, Mass. between an unnamed and unpatented proprietary plant from his breeding program as the female parent and pollen that was pooled from a variety of unnamed and unpatented proprietary plants from his breeding program as the male parent. The exact characteristics of the pollen parent are therefore unknown. ‘Blushing Pink’ was selected in September of 2014 as a single unique plant amongst the resulting seedlings.

Asexual propagation of the new cultivar was first accomplished by stem cuttings under the direction of the Inventor in Kensington, Conn. in September of 2014. Asexual propagation by stem cuttings has shown that the characteristics of the new cultivar are stable and are reproduced true to type in successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the characteristics of the new cultivar. These attributes in combination distinguish ‘Blushing Pink’ as a unique cultivar of Coreopsis.

-   -   1. ‘Blushing Pink’ exhibits a sturdy, well-branched plant habit         reaching an average of 36 cm in height and 96 cm in width.     -   2. ‘Blushing Pink’ exhibits a floriferous and long blooming         season of nearly sterile inflorescences that do not require         deadheading; bloom commences in early July and lasts until frost         in Kensington, Conn.     -   3. ‘Blushing Pink’ exhibits medium sized inflorescences that         open a darker rose-pink in color and over several days turn to a         pale pink in color.     -   4. ‘Blushing Pink’ exhibits resistance to powdery mildew         (Podosphaera macularis) and leafspot (Pseudomonas cichorii).     -   5. ‘Blushing Pink’ exhibits cold hardiness at least to U.S.D.A.         Zone 5a.

The female parent of ‘Blushing Pink’ differs from ‘Blushing Pink’ in having inflorescences with ray florets that are solid dark pink in color that do not change to pale pink in color, in not being reliably hardy in U.S.D.A. Zone 5 and in having a taller in plant height and more upright plant habit. ‘Blushing Pink’ can be most closely compared to Coreopsis cultivars ‘Red Satin’ and ‘Pink Sapphire’ (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 24,288). ‘Red Satin’ is similar to ‘Blushing Pink’ in being from a closely related breeding line to ‘Blushing Pink’ and in having thread-leaf type foliage, a similar inflorescence shape and similar cold hardiness. ‘Red Satin’ differs from ‘Blushing Pink’ in having inflorescences with ray florets that are red in color and in being less vigorous. ‘Pink Sapphire’ is similar to ‘Blushing Pink’ in having inflorescences of similar size and in having thread-like foliage. ‘Pink Sapphire’ differs from ‘Blushing Pink’ in having inflorescences with ray florets that are purple-pink in color, in being prone to powdery mildew when grown under similar conditions in New Braintree, Mass. and in not being cold hardy in U.S.D.A. Zone 5.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The accompanying colored photographs illustrate the overall appearance and distinct characteristics of the new Coreopsis. The photographs were taken of a 2-year-old plant of ‘Blushing Pink’ as grown outdoors in a 3-gallon container in Kensington, Conn.

The photograph in FIG. 1 provides a side view of ‘Blushing Pink’ and shows the plant habit in bloom.

The photograph in FIG. 2 provides a close-up view of the inflorescences of ‘Blushing Pink’.

The colors in the photographs are as close as possible with the photographic and printing technology utilized and the color values cited in the detailed botanical description accurately describe the colors of the new Coreopsis.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The following is a detailed description of 3-year-old plants of ‘Blushing Pink’ as grown outdoors in one-gallon containers in Kensington, Conn. The phenotype of the new cultivar may vary with variations in environmental, climatic, and cultural conditions, as it has not been tested under all possible environmental conditions. The color determination is in accordance with The 2015 Colour Chart of The Royal Horticultural Society, London, England, except where general color terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   General description:     -   -   Blooming period.—Blooms from early July until frost in             Kensington, Conn.         -   Plant type.—Herbaceous perennial.         -   Plant habit.—Clump-forming, compact, upright leafy flowering             stems with inflorescences held above the foliage.         -   Height and spread.—Reaching an average of 36 cm in height             and 96 cm in width as grown in the landscape.         -   Cold hardiness.—At least to U.S.D.A Zone 5a.         -   Diseases and pests.—Resistance to powdery mildew             (Podosphaera macularis) and leafspot (Pseudomonas cichorii),             no susceptibility or resistance to pests has been observed.         -   Root description.—Fibrous and fine, NN155A in color.         -   Propagation.—Stem cuttings.         -   Time required for root initiation.—An average of 10 days for             root initiation.         -   Growth rate.—Vigorous. -   Stem description:     -   -   Shape.—Rounded to tetragonal, solid.         -   Stem color.—144A.         -   Stem strength.—Strong.         -   Stem size.—Main stems; an average of 14.5 cm in length and 4             mm in width, lateral stems; an average of 13 cm in length             (excluding peduncles) and 2 mm in width.         -   Stem surface.—Glabrous, smooth, and dull.         -   Branching habit.—Freely branched, an average of 10 basal             main stems, lateral stems typically branched as oppositely             arranaged pairs at each node, with an average of 4 lateral             stems (2 pairs) per main stem .         -   Internode length.—An average of 1 cm. -   Foliage description:     -   -   Leaf division.—Simple.         -   Leaf margins.—Entire and trifid.         -   Leaf size.—Entire leaves; an average of 6.5 cm in length and             3 cm in width, trifid leaves; center lobe an average of 6 cm             in length and 6 mm in width, lateral lobes an average of 5             cm in length and in 6 mm width.         -   Leaf shape.—Narrow obanceolate.         -   Leaf base.—Cuneate.         -   Leaf apex.—Bluntly acute.         -   Leaf venation.—Pinnate, inconspicuous, same color as leaf.         -   Leaf attachment.—Sessile.         -   Leaf arrangement.—Opposite.         -   Leaf surface.—Upper and lower surfaces; smooth, dull, and             glaucous.         -   Leaf color.—Young and mature upper and lower surface; 137A. -   Flower description:     -   -   Inflorescence type.—Composite with a single row of ray             florets surrounding disk florets in the center,             inflorescences are borne on branch terminals in loose             corymbs.         -   Lastingness of inflorescence.—8 to 10 days until senescence             of ray flowers, phyllaries and disk flowers are persistent.         -   Fragrance.—Light sweet, citrus scent.         -   Quantity of inflorescences.—Free flowering, an average of 5             corymbs per main branch, an average of 3 composites per             corymb.         -   Inflorescence size.—Corymbs; an average of 17 cm in length             and 7 cm in width, composite; an average of 1 cm in depth             and 4 cm in diameter with disk portion up to 5 mm in             diameter.         -   Inflorescence buds.—Globose in shape, an average of 5 mm in             depth and diameter, smooth and shiny surface; color; a blend             of 21A and 20A, suffused at the base with 146A, streaks of             183A and 200A held at the margins.         -   Peduncle.—Rounded in shape, strong, an average of 6 cm in             length and 1 mm in diameter, 147A in color, smooth and             glabrous surface. -   Phyllaries (involucral bracts):     -   -   Phyllary number.—2 rows; outer (lower) row 7, inner (upper)             row 8.         -   Phyllary arrangement.—Outer (lower) phyllaries; 10% fused,             held horizontal to slightly upwards with the apex and             mid-section recurved downwards, inner (upper) phyllaries;             overlap and surround receptacle with apical portion reflexed             (campanulate-like).         -   Phyllary size.—Outer (lower) phyllaries; an average of 4 mm             in length and 2 mm in width, inner (upper) phyllaries; an             average of 6 mm in length and 4 mm in width.         -   Phyllary color.—Upper and lower surfaces, outer (lower)             phyllaries; 139B, margins 142B, tip of apex 200A, inner             (upper) phyllaries; transluscent, 17A, margins flushed with             200A, base 138A.         -   Phyllary texture.—Outer (lower) phyllaries; glabrous and             smooth on both surfaces, inner (upper) phyllaries; glabrous             and slightly waxy on both surfaces.         -   Phyllary Apex.—Acute.         -   Phyllary Base.—Truncate.         -   Phyllary shape.—Outer (lower) phyllaries; elliptic to             lanceolate, inner (upper) phyllaries; lanceolate. -   Ray florets (sterile):     -   -   Number.—8.         -   Shape.—Oblanceolate, with the appearance of 3 longitudinal             sections.         -   Size.—An average of 1.5 cm in length and 7 mm in width.         -   Apex.—Rounded with three rounded lobes.         -   Base.—Cuneate.         -   Margins.—Entire on sides with lobed and notched apex.         -   Aspect.—Held mainly horizontal and slightly upwards,             perpendicular to peduncle.         -   Texture.—Both surfaces; glabrous, dull, and satiny.         -   Color.—Upper and lower surfaces when opening; a blend of             N81A, N81B, and N81C, when fully open; a blend of 73D and             75D, suffused lightly with N81A, margins and tips flushed             with N81A, base lightly flushed with 1D, fading to a blend             of 75D and 76B before drop. -   Disk florets (male and female):     -   -   Number.—An average of 80.         -   Shape.—Tubular, corolla is fused, flared at apex.         -   Size.—About 8 mm in length and 0.5 mm in width.         -   Color.—En masse; 17A, corolla; (tube) transluscent, 23A,             flared portion 23A.         -   Receptacle.—An average of 6 mm in diameter and 1 mm in             depth, 147A in color. -   Reproductive organs:     -   -   Presence.—Disk flowers only.         -   Gynoecium.—1 Pistil; an average of 6 mm in length, style;             very fine and 10D in color, bifid pillose, stigma; 17A in             color with recurved branches about 0.5 mm in length, ovary             is inferior, oblong in shape, an average of 2 mm in length             and 1 mm in width, and 150C in color.         -   Androecium.—4 stamens, fused into tube surrounding style, an             average of 3 mm in length and less than 0.5 mm in width,             202A in color, no pollen was present.         -   Seed.—Seed development has been observed to be very minimal;             nearly sterile, plants available for data collection did not             set seed. 

It is claimed:
 1. A new and distinct cultivar of Coreopsis plant named ‘Blushing Pink’ as herein illustrated and described. 